Orange Coast Football Preview
Orange Coast (3-4, 1-2) vs. Saddleback (2-4, 1-1)
When/where: Saturday, 6 at Saddleback College
Key Pirates: So. RB Robert Penny (726 yards, nine TDs rushing); Fr. QB Cameron Biedgoly (785 yards, nine TDs passing); So. WR Tyler Duncan (29 catches, 583 yards, five TDs); So. OLB Nick Cody (72 tackles).
Key Gauchos: So. RB Anthony Cade (456 yards, three TDs rushing and 45 receptions for 316 yards and two TDs); Fr. QB Tim Belman (1,426 yards, 10 TDs passing); Fr. WR Eric Lauderdale (32 catches, 417 yards); So. LB Colton Christensen (36 tackles, three sacks, two INTs).
Breakdown: The Pirates, ranked No. 14 in Southern California, have lost three straight and have given up 146 points in those three losses ... Saddleback, off to its worst start since opening 2-6 in 2000, is coming off a 44-29 triumph against Fullerton ... Since 2000, when the Gauchos were 3-7, they are 93-35 under Coach Mark McElroy ... Saddleback has won nine of the last 10 meetings with OCC, including the last five and leads the series, 23-12 ... Biedgoly set school single-game records for passing yards (417), total offensive yards (404), completions (28) and pass attempts (tied two others with 50) in a 45-38 overtime loss to Santa Ana last week ... Biedgoly, who made his first start vs. Santa Ana, has gone 76 attempts without throwing an interception after throwing two in his first seven attempts ... Penny ranks second in the Southern Conference in rushing yards per game (103.7) and has topped the 100-yard mark five times in 2012 ... Penny’s 1,371 career rushing yards rank No. 8 in OCC annals ... Duncan needs 47 receiving yards to move into the No. 7 spot on the OCC career list ... Cody’s 10.3 tackles per game lead the conference ... Christensen, Saddleback’s leading tackler, played at OCC last season, as did the Gauchos’ No. 2 rusher, Josh Hawkins.
— Barry Faulkner